Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by BrownNut:

One time years ago I accidentally picked up the wrong cup and took a big sip of somebody's old Skoal dip spit instead of my drink, which I had set down next to the spit cup. It was a horrifying experience. This Sprecher product tastes like that, which says as much about it as you need to know. Wintergreen, sweet something, and "off".

I love root beer and have always wanted to try an alcoholic one, so I was really glad to find this. I wonder what I would think of it if I had never had the spit-drinking incident, but alas, I can never know. I think it would still be bad.

I toughed this out for a good few sips after the first one but ultimately had to pour it out. Now I'm stuck with three more of them. I think I will put them in some random person's mailbox.

A - A standard pour yields an active billowing forthiness that settles at about two fingers worth of audibly fizzy slightly creamy khaki colored head with a rocky top... Average retention gives way to a thick ultra creamy layer of lacing with a couple of big chunky bubbles sitting on top... The color is a murky medium-to-dark brown... Still with no discernible carbonation... Not a bad looking brew by any means...

S - The dominate aroma is that of moderately sweet root beer... There are also some light woody notes beneath the surface that add nice depth and complexity... A hint of vanilla... Perhaps some banana notes as well...

T - Root beer... Brown sugar... Vanilla... A slight bourbon kick... Some faint caramel notes... There are even some very faint cinnamon notes on the finish... While this one is uber sweet, it's never cloying... Very different... Very interesting... Very enjoyable...

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied... Limited carbonation... A bit chewy... A bit sticky... Smooth... A bit sultry... Very nice...

D - Is it root beer? Is it beer? Doesn't matter what it is, just that it's a very enjoyable drink... Very unique... I have never encountered anything like this in the rest of beerdom... This is something that I can recommend and will gladly indulge in again... A bit of a desert beer... A job very well done by Sprecher... Note, the first glass or two is fine, but then it becomes a wee bit cloying and tough to finish...

I really wanted to like this beer, since I like a good root beer with a kick. Perhaps I just favor root beers with more of a licorice or wintergreen flavor, but this Hard Root Beer did nothing for me. When I tried it, all I got was a malt and cream flavor, which unfortunately isn't quite my thing.

Poors dark and deep like you would expect a root beer to pour with a decent frothy head to boot. Early tastes of root beer and vanilla, with the drop off showing the alcohol that's behind it. A very drinkable beer to accompany a variety of meals, though I find myself drinking it with pizza or dessert mostly. Something is lost from traditional root beer that I can't quite put my finger on, but in it's class stands as a very good brew.

Really good beer, for a rootbeer beer I couldnt ask for anything better. You should try it, might give a wicked hang over though. Bought it the first time just seeing it at the beer distributor but have since recommended it to several friends. You cant really tell it has alcohal.